AIBU to be devastated at my ex claiming CB to block me receiving it. I'm on UC he earns 120k+

This will never happen. He doesn’t earn enough and he won’t be liable for her costs.

That’s really mean of him & surely you can challenge the decision?

Could you not work if you only have 1 child 50/50? I think your best option would be to go full time.

I find it weird the new wife wants to live in what was your shared home. Do they have other children?

HMRC can’t split CB. The only way your friend and ex could get half each would be if one claimed and split it themselves.

By her own admission they are 50/50

Unless she perjures herself that won't change.

There's been a few threads on here recently of women greedily chasing CM drill father's who are 50/50. It didn't end well.

She should challenge the CB because that seems reasonable

OP did you move out and leave the children in the family home with him when you split up?

What an utter cunt he is.

CB is more than just an amount of money as many people have already pointed out and has many other benefits/responsibilities so I would fight tooth and nail to get it transferred over to you.

My ds has just been given a place in a specialist provision and when organising his transport I learned that they will only transport him to and from the home that receives the child benefit, even if the child lives between 2 homes.

You can claim CB with any income. If you earn over the threshold you can either claim it without payment or pay it back.

I don’t understand how he can even claim it? Both me and partner are on over 100k and we can’t claim a single thing! Most we get is the 15 hours. Not complaining - I just don’t understand how he can claim?

CB goes to the parent with main responsibility. Things like what address is registered with school, doctors, dentist. Who takes them to appointments, organises prescriptions, appointments, signs school forms etc. If this is you, start gathering evidence. Alongside any evidence write a very clear firm statement about why this puts you and child in financial hardship in comparison to him.

I’d prioritise getting a job and not being financially dependent on this man.

@Merrybandofpiratesmen like this deliberately don’t get married. I’d say never have kids unless married. If he won’t , walk away.

That’s maintenance. One parent can claim CB.

No, they wouldn't. He is not a mega high earner. £120k is not considered high enough for them to do that.

She didn't marry him so she doesn’t get the protection that comes with that - no split of his pension and no split of the money in his bank accounts. She also didn’t ensure that he deposited to her savings account or her pension.

It’s 2026. It is well publicised what happens if you do not get married and then give up your job, and all your savings and don’t ensure you protect your own money or have him pay money into your account. I don’t understand how women are still making this mistake. Maybe it’s because people like you keep posting things like this - “oh, go to court and they’ll order him to give you money.” No, they won’t.

Do not give up your job if you are not married.

No they wouldn’t.

They only order child maintenance in 50/50 cases when one party is a very, very high earner.

So well above the CMS 156k salary threshold.

No, they wouldn’t. He would need to make over £156,000 for CMS to no longer apply.

My background is in family law.

Fine. But if the children are effectively living on benefits at the OP's then a court would order the father to ensure the OP has enough money to make sure their standard of living is the same.

But you obviously know much more about this than anyone else, so I'll leave you to tell the OP what to do.

You’re advising her to waste her money, and the court’s time. This is the remit of the CMS, not the courts. He doesn’t make enough to require a court order.

The courts aren’t going to overrule 50/50 because she wants more time in order to claim CMS. That will be looked on poorly. She will also be liable for her own costs. They’re not going to encourage vexatious litigation on the respondent’s dime.

@Maray1967 very happy to see that someone else knows about Eleanor Rathbone and the purpose of Child Benefit. OP absolutely needs to get this overturned.

The chances of someone claiming spousal maintenance when they weren’t married are incredibly low. In the eyes of the courts her ex isn’t a particularly high earner - 120k isn’t high enough for court to take over child maintenance payments.

she won’t get child maintence on 50/50 with that salary discrepancy. It’s not wide enough.

She needs to focus on the child benefit and it being paid to her because as they are 50/50 and she can claim the money it financially benefits the child more.

For someone to be liable to pay child maintenance on 50/50 arrangements their incomes needs to be in excess of £156,000.

Cut also affects your state pension OP.
Do they live with him?

She needs to go to court which can overrule the 50/50, and make him pay her costs. His claiming of CB is utterly unreasonable behaviour which the court will look harshly on.

Not only that, but what sort of woman marries a man who treats his ex and child so contemptuously?

Presumably, another woman who swallows all his lies without applying any common sense or critical thinking!

Wow what a bastard. How someone can do that to the mother of their child is beyond me! That’s just cruel.

What are you talking about ? Either parent can claim it.